


Recurrent

by KeepItOnMe



Series: /r/Symphogear Story Prompts [1]
Category: Senki Zesshou Symphogear
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-17 09:03:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16092404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeepItOnMe/pseuds/KeepItOnMe
Summary: Shirabe is visited by dreams she doesn’t understand.





	Recurrent

Shirabe dreams sometimes.

Most of the time they are nothing substantial; her dreams are filled with naught but empty cloudscapes and ambient noise. The sky is painted warm, full of pinks and oranges and violets, giving the impression of an eternal sunset. Being pressed against her soft pillow and covered by her blanket translates to a feeling of weightlessness that allows her to float. 

Lately however, the dreams have been taking a strange turn. She sees dark, shapeless masses in front of a blisteringly red backdrop, the clouds having all dissipated. The sky is left barren and empty, devoid of comfort. A sound of screeching tires and a woman’s scream pierces the realm and cracks the image in two, shattering glass. Crushing metal groans at a volume loud enough to assault her ears and jolt her awake these nights.

It is after such dreams that Shirabe lays frozen in bed, her breath shaky, eyes wide open, gaze fixed at whatever is in front of her. She feels beads of sweat roll down her face and onto her pillow. One time, she raises a hand to wipe her face and is surprised when her palm brushes tears gathering in her eyes.

She never speaks of these dreams to the others.

~

Classes at Lydian are finished for the semester and spring vacation is coming up. Though they’re in different years, Hibiki wouldn’t stop talking about how she’d have a small bit of reprieve from the amount of schoolwork her teacher had “unfairly” dumped on her, a sentiment shared by Kirika. They meet up after the last bell rings for the day and proceed to plan where they would go when vacation officially starts. Miku sighs and Shirabe idly thinks that she is already preparing study notes to help Hibiki last-minute.

“Let’s go on a road trip!” Kirika proposes excitedly. She brandishes a brochure with a photo of a mountain vista printed on the front flap. Shirabe curiously takes it and starts skimming. “There’s a really cool cabin resort we can stay at for a few days. It’s not too far from here, so we don’t need to take a plane. And there’s a lake we can go swimming in!”

Hibiki’s eyes light up. “Ooh, great idea, Kirika-chan! Master did want me to practice in water more but the beach was always too crowded.” She places her chin in between her thumb and forefinger, in an almost perfect imitation of Genjuro. “A quiet lake sounds perfect.”

“Why can’t you show the same amount of dedication to your homework…?” murmurs Miku.

Shirabe is still looking at the brochure and only half-paying attention to the conversation before she senses Kirika waving a hand in front of her. “Is that okay, Shirabe?” asks Kirika, her voice a bit quieter now. “Do you wanna go on a road trip with us? I can ask Maria, Tsubasa-san, and Chris-senpai to come too.”

Shirabe wonders if this gentleness coming from Kirika has something to do with the strange--if not scary--dreams that she’s been having lately. Both of them share a room in their joined apartment, and if Kirika had noticed anything unusual, she said nothing.

“Yes, that sounds good, Kiri-chan,” replies Shirabe, giving the other girl a small smile.

~

By early morning of the next day, all of the Attuned plus Miku are packed into a van that Genjuro had rented. Shirabe climbs into the back and settles herself next to the window as she watches Hibiki and Chris try to fit in the last of the luggage. Maria is sitting in the driver’s seat, exchanging a few words with Ogawa about plans and schedules. Once everything is clear, they head off. 

The first couple of days on the road pass by without much incident. Maria plays several concert CDs and sings along, Tsubasa occasionally joining in at her behest. Hibiki and Miku chat animatedly about anything and everything, while Chris blocks out the rest of the world with her headphones as she watches movies on Miku’s laptop. Next to her, Kirika plays games on her S.O.N.G.-issued tablet, sporadically letting out cheers whenever she completes a level. Shirabe, much to her consternation, remains plagued by unsettling dreams.

Looking out the window and seeing the scenery fly past, Shirabe remembers the time the group had traveled to Saitama not that long ago. She remembers the old priest of the Tsuki Shrine and bits of the advice that he gave her when she was struggling with her own internal self-conception. After she and Tsubasa had taken out one of the Pavarian alchemists, he had told them that they were welcome to visit whenever they wished. 

Shirabe thinks about the first time they arrived at the shrine, vividly recalling the awkward tension in the air after he had mentioned his deceased granddaughter, as if that was a normal topic of conversation to initiate with strangers. What a peculiar old man. He had tapped his head and brushed it off as a “priestly prank”, but Shirabe did not forget. For whatever reason, she _couldn’t_ forget.

Unbeknownst to the others, and for reasons not fully understood even by herself, Shirabe had asked Tsubasa to take her back to the Tsuki Shrine once more. Tsubasa had agreed, and the familiar sight of the stone rabbit statues was strangely soothing underneath the roar of Tsubasa’s motorcycle engine. 

That day the priest had decided to talk more about his family. Shirabe couldn’t put her finger on the reason why, but her interest was piqued a little when he brought up his granddaughter again.

_“I know I told you that I lost her in a terrible car accident,’ he said, with a smile. It looked wistful. ‘‘Had she survived, I truly believe she would have been around your age.”_

_“So… she really is dead?” Shirabe didn’t know what possessed her to ask such a question, but the words had already left her mouth. She unconsciously rubbed the charm that he had gifted her before._

_“Well, to tell you the truth, we found the parents, but not her. Her body was never recovered.” He took a moment to close his eyes and breathe. “It has been over ten years… the police have stopped searching. They told me to make my peace. But if by some miracle Hana is alive and well, I pray to the gods that she is being taken care of. That she is surrounded by people who love her.”_

_Something in his voice caused Shirabe to feel a heavy weight tug at her heart. She stopped playing with the charm. “I’m sorry.”_

_The priest shook his head. “I won’t lie, young miss. I still want closure. Not knowing if my beloved granddaughter is dead or alive… it is a horrible, persistent feeling. On bad days, it keeps one up at night.”_

Shirabe is shaken out of her reminiscence when Maria announces that they’re stopping to re-fuel. She sees Hibiki bound out of the van with an exaggerated groan and proceed to stretch. Miku laughs and asks a yawning Chris to accompany her inside the gas station to buy snacks and refreshments. Tsubasa seems to have woken up and Shirabe gets an overwhelming urge to speak to her. 

Before she could, she feels a hand grab her own. “Are you all right, Shirabe?” Kirika was looking at her with a concerned expression. 

“I’m…” Shirabe hesitates. Kirika’s eyes are wide, imploring, and so very green. “I don’t know.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve been having… weird dreams lately.” Shirabe wishes she could explain more, but the nature of said dreams continues to be a mystery. Their cause and purpose, if they even had them, continue to elude her. How can she hope to tell Kirika when she herself can’t even begin to decipher them?

“What kind of dreams?” Kirika runs her thumb over Shirabe’s knuckles in a blind attempt at comfort. Shirabe’s heart aches and flutters at the same time. Kirika was always looking out for her.

“I don’t know,” she repeats. “I’m sorry. I can barely remember them when I wake up. They just… bother me.” Shirabe doesn’t know if the dreams are premonitions or memories. Or something else.

Kirika frowns, understandably not satisfied by her answer, but nevertheless lets go of her hand and moves to get out of the vehicle to join Miku and Chris in the store. Shirabe is thankful.

She watches her go before turning back to Tsubasa, who had exited as well and was leaning against the passenger side door, watching with mild amusement at Hibiki doing jumping jacks in place. Shirabe maneuvers herself to sit on the floor of the van, her feet resting flat against the concrete base of the gas station. “Um, excuse me, Tsubasa-san?”

“Yes, Tsukuyomi?” Tsubasa turns to look at her instead. “Are you well-rested? You’ve been exceptionally quiet, more than usual. Make sure to stretch your legs before we resume our journey.”

“I will,” responds Shirabe. She waits a beat before continuing. “I just wanted to say thank you for taking me to the shrine again.”

“You had already done so when we returned afterwards,” Tsubasa replies, though not unkindly. “I will not pry into your affairs, but did going there help you in any way?”

Shirabe is reluctant to admit that the visit had done nothing to assuage her concerns over her recent dreams. “If I’m being honest, I’m not sure. Everything seems to have gotten more confusing since then.” She could not place a name as to what was causing this, but if there was a connection, what did the Tsuki Shrine, the priest, or his family have to do with her?

Almost as if she sensed the younger girl’s inner turmoil, Tsubasa places her hand on Shirabe’s shoulder and gives it a reassuring squeeze. “I don’t know what has been happening, but I do know what it’s like to try and navigate through a confusing time. You needn’t go forth alone.”

Her words echo back to the time they had achieved Unison together. “I know,” Shirabe whispers. 

Tsubasa nods. “It’s good to have support, Tsukuyomi. I can attest to that firsthand. I suppose we all need reminders every now and then.” 

Once everyone is done with their business and the van’s gas tank is full, Tsubasa takes the wheel; she and Maria had flipped a coin to decide whose turn it was to drive after much deliberation. After having lost the coin toss, Tsubasa had suggested that Chris should be learning how to drive already, if only to ease some of the burden of adult responsibilities on her seniors. Even if Tsubasa meant it as a joke, it did not stop Chris from sputtering, her face lightly tinged red. Nor did it stop Hibiki from teasing her further.

There were still a few more miles before they reached their destination and the sun was setting, dyeing the sky in dusky colors. It reminds Shirabe of her old dreams.

The low rumbling of the van’s wheels rolling across the road surface lulls Shirabe to sleep, and she nestles close to Kirika, resting her head on her beloved’s shoulder.

Shirabe hopes that she does not dream again tonight.

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written for a "Road Trip" prompt in a discord server I'm in. One thing I really enjoyed in AXZ was the Tsubasa/Shirabe dual episode and the little theory that Shirabe is actually the priest's missing/"dead" granddaughter. I appreciate the opportunity to take that piece of fanon and make something small out of it.
> 
> I haven't written any fic in years, so forgive me if this reads weird or awkward. I want to try practicing writing more, especially for geahs, so hopefully I can contribute more to this fandom.


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